How to Get Nasty Scorch Stains Out of Pots and Pans

Even your favorite non-stick pan can fall prey to the charred remains of an “easy” turkey burger turned smoke-alarm fiasco. But fear not — we've got a handy trick for cleaning scorch stains without jeopardizing that protective coating.

What you need: Water, white vinegar, baking soda and a stove.

What you do: Fill the bottom of the pan with water. Add 1 cup of vinegar and bring to a boil. Take the pan off the hot burner and toss in 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Let it fizz, dump out the mixture and scour like normal. Still see more spots? Apply a paste of baking soda and water, let it sit and try cleaning again.

But what if the mixture erupts like my eighth-grade volcano science project? It won’t.